Vol 20, No 4 (2025)

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This study discusses the introduction and adaptation of edible chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum coronarium L.) in the Non-­Chernozem Zone of the Russian Federation. The focus is on studying the plant’s biochemical composition, nutritional value, and pharmacological properties. Data on high content of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other bioactive substances such as flavonoids and amino acids are presented. The influence of growing conditions, including lighting regimes and salt stress, on the accumulation of beneficial components in the plant is examined. The importance of further research to optimize agricultural practices and assess the economic viability of cultivating Chrysanthemum coronarium L. in this region is emphasized.

Spring rapeseed is one of the most important oilseed crops worldwide. Currently, one rapeseed development cycle takes about five to six months. Shortening the growing season can significantly reduce the growing period and speed up the realization of breeding and research projects. This could allow up to four generations of rapeseed instead of two or three under greenhouse conditions. Our research was conducted in 2023–2024 in a two-section climatic chamber developed at Federal Scientific Agroengineering Center VIM. The aim of the study was to study the effect of accelerating the growing season of rape by increasing the photoperiod and using different spectral composition of light. The experiment was conducted in 4 variants: Variant 1 (22/2 RB) — photoperiod 22 h day / 2 h night and spectral composition R:40/B:60 (red-blue spectrum only); Variant 2 (22/2 FS) — photoperiod 22 h day / 2 h night and full spectrum FS (UV0.5: B37: G6.5: Y3: R49: FR4); Variant 3 (16/8 RB) — photoperiod 16 h / 8 h night and spectral composition R:40/B:60 (red-blue spectrum only); Variant 4 (16/8 FS) (control) — photoperiod 16 h day / 8 h night and full spectrum (UV0.5: B37: G6.5: Y3: R49: FR4). We achieved a reduction in growing season by 14 days using an extended photoperiod (22-hour daylight hours) and full spectrum radiation (UV0.5: B37: G6.5: Y3: R49: FR4). It was found that variants 1 and 2 used in the experiment could be used to obtain rape seeds of proper quality. The best was variant 2–22/2 FS using 22 hour daylight hours and full spectrum radiation (UV0.5: B37: G6.5: Y3: R49: FR4).

Leaf rust (Puccinia triticina Eriks.) and stem rust (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici) are the main causes of declining wheat yields in Russia and abroad. Epidemics of these diseases lead to significant economic losses. In recent years, there has been increased pressure from new, more aggressive races of pathogens. As a result, a breeding strategy aimed at protecting wheat varieties from these diseases is extremely relevant and a priority. The aim of this work was to identify effective and partially effective genes of resistance to leaf (Lr19, Lr24, Lr26, Lr29, Lr34, Lr37) and stem (Sr17, Sr22, Sr36, Sr39, Sr47) rust in the Ob forest-­steppe of the Altai Territory for the further development of a set of breeding measures aimed at creating new varieties of spring wheat with resistance to rust diseases in local conditions using modern methods of molecular marker selection. The material for the study was 25 promising lines of spring common wheat of secondary origin from Arsenal collection (Nemchinovka Research Center) with group resistance to leaf-stem diseases and having genetic material of the species Aegilops speltoides, Ae. triuncialis, Triticum kiharae, Secale cereale and T. migushovae in the pedigree. Molecular analysis made it possible to determine effective Lr genes in 80 %, and Sr genes in all tested accessions. The largest number of identified genes (5–6) were found in the following lines: 5–16i, 20–16i, 34–16i, 44–16i, 45–16i, 48–16i, 53–16i, and the smallest (2–3) in: 1–16i, 14–16i, 19–16i, 21–16i, 25–16i, 40–16i, 49–16i, 61–16i and 135/10i. The desired Lr genes were not found in accessions 1–16i, 28–16i, 49–16i, 61–16i. The results of the studies showed the presence of a wide range of genes of resistance to leaf and stem rust, which indicates the donor properties of the lines of Arsenal collection and the possibility of their effective use in marker associated selection in the development of wheat varieties resistant to rust diseases.

The fertility of urban soils in the Arctic is limited by harsh climatic conditions and high anthropogenic pressure. In addition to the typical impacts of residential use, recreation, and transportation common in any urbanized areas, the ecosystems of Russian Arctic cities are subject to the technogenic influence of heavy industry hubs, which often serve as the foundation for these cities. Under such conditions, the soil cover of the largest cities in the Russian Arctic — Murmansk, Vorkuta, and Norilsk — has formed. An analysis of the physical and chemical properties of urban soils, an assessment of their fertility, and the limiting factors are necessary for the creation and maintenance of urban green infrastructure, which is one of the key factors in the ecological comfort of city life. This study evaluates the acidity, organic matter and total nitrogen content, availability of mobile forms of phosphorus and potassium in the topsoil of these cities and provides an integrated assessment of their fertility based on the soil-ecological index (SEI) by I.I. Karmanov, adapted within the study for application to northern soils and territories. It is shown that, based on the combination of indicators, the soils of the studied sites form the sequence Murmansk > Vorkuta > Norilsk, from the most fertile to the least fertile. The influence of anthropogenic factors on soil properties is noted, which can be both positive (a decrease in average soil acidity across all sites) and negative (toxic concentrations of mobile phosphorus in the soils of Murmansk). Based on the obtained SEI values, it is concluded that the soils of the studied sites have relatively high overall fertility, comparable to that of soils in the middle and southern taiga.

The study presents data on the analysis of the application of various methods for examining mammary gland secretions in cows for the diagnosis of mastitis. The studies were conducted during 2023. The object of the study was lactating cows and the secretion of their mammary gland. The prevalence of mastitis in cows during the study was 36.6%; during the repeated examination, the number of animals with latent inflammation of the mammary gland increased by 3.4%. At the time of the first examination, 63.3% of cows had milk of the highest grade in terms of somatic cell (SC) count (up to 250 thousand cells/ml). In 8.3% of cows with clinical mastitis, an increase in SC count over 750 thousand cells/ml was recorded. The minimum lactoferrin concentration in mammary gland secretions during the first examination was 0.25 mg/ml, and the maximum was 3.5 mg/ml; the mean value was 1.62 mg/ml. During the second examination, an increase in both the minimum and maximum lactoferrin concentrations was observed, reaching 0.69 mg/ml and 4.1 mg/ml, respectively. At the time of the initial study, the maximum deviation of urea concentration from reference values in the mammary gland secretion of cows was 35.15 ± 0.45 mg/100 ml, and the minimum was 14.18 ± 0.18 mg/100 ml. During the repeated examination, the proportion of cows showing deviations from reference urea values (either decreased or increased) was 38.3%, and 46.7% after 7 days. Microbiological analysis of mammary gland secretions revealed the following microorganisms: coliform bacteria (38.9%), Staphylococcus aureus (38.9%), Enterococcus faecalis (22.2%), using the cultural research method; taphylococcus spp. (55.6%), S. aureus (22.2%), and Escherichia coli (22.2%) using PCR, with repeated testing showing the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 46.2% of samples; and Streptococcus dysgalactiae (36.4%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (18.2%), Aerococcus viridans (18.2%), S. aureus (9.1%), Staphylococcus haemolyticus (9.1%) and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (9.1%) using the MALDI-TOF method. Repeated examination using these methods revealed an increase in microbial species diversity and changes in the proportions of isolated bacteria. Antibiotic susceptibility testing using the disk diffusion method revealed resistance in individual isolates of C. pseudotuberculosis to benzylpenicillin, S. dysgalactiae to tetracycline, S. aureus to benzylpenicillin and amoxicillin. During the repeated study, 2.2% of the identified isolates of P.aeruginosa were found to carry the blaVIM and blaNDM genes associated with carbapenem resistance.

Total hip replacement in dogs is an effective method for treating various pathologies of the hip joint. However, the problem of aseptic instability of the femoral component in the postoperative period persists. An analysis of 227 surgeries using the Russian cementless system V@art was conducted. This system was developed based on Swiss KYON technology but incorporates a number of improvements: a monolithic stem made of Ti6Al4V ELI titanium alloy, a double-lead conical thread for the fixation screws, and an optimized protocol for their placement. The results demonstrate that the modified implantation protocol for the V@art system ensures reliable osseointegration as early as 45 days postoperatively, reduces the cost of the intervention, and minimizes risks. The system can be considered a promising alternative to foreign analogues in veterinary practice within the Russian Federation.

Bacteria are constantly evolving, becoming resistant to antibiotics. Antimicrobial resistance is a complex problem arising from the adaptive capabilities of bacteria and their rapid spread among microorganisms, making the treatment of infections increasingly difficult. Escherichia coli is a bacterium of the Enterobacteriaceae family, it has clinical and epidemiological significance. The bacterium is one of the reservoirs for antibiotic resistance genes and for this reason has been classified by the World Health Organization as a pathogen posing a threat to public health. Herbal medicines and their components possess properties that can alter the resistance of microorganisms to antimicrobial drugs. The effect of plant adaptogens on the resistance of microorganisms to antibiotics is insufficiently studied. An in vitro study was conducted to examine the impact of Rhodiola rosea and Leuzea carthamoides on the susceptibility level of Escherichia coli to various antimicrobial drugs. Escherichia coli cultures were obtained from calves with symptoms of acute intestinal diseases. Susceptibility to 12 antimicrobial drugs from five groups was determined, including penicillins, carbapenems, cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, and fluoroquinolones. The effect of Rhodiola rosea and Leuzea carthamoides was studied by co-incubating Escherichia coli cultures with a decoction of adaptogen roots, followed by re-culturing the isolates and re-determining susceptibility. The results showed that after exposure to Rhodiola rosea and Leuzea carthamoides, the resistance of Escherichia coli to cephalosporins (ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, and cefixime) decreased by 3–43%, depending on the antimicrobial drug and the studied factor. Susceptibility to imipenem (a carbapenem) increased by 13–16%. Susceptibility to aminoglycosides and fluoroquinolones changed only occasionally and very slightly (within 3–9%) under the influence of the adaptogens. Further research is needed to clarify the potential risks or benefits of using plant adaptogens in the context of antimicrobial resistance.